[Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE

Thu Sep 26 14:46:38 EDT 2013

Hi Vic.  My 44' doublet is in my attic, arranged as a flat top for 24' 
and then drooping straight down at both ends.  The antenna is almost 
exactly 30' above the earth.  It is fed with 14' of 450  ohm ladder 
line straight down through a slit in my ceiling and into a linen closet 
where it meets up with an SG237 autocoupler.  This keeps the autocoupler 
out of the winter cold and summer heat of the attic.  From there I have 
a run of nice "clean" 50 ohm coax to my second story "shack"  This attic 
doublet arrangement is nearly 4 years old and has served me exceedingly 
well on 40 through 10 meters, inclusive.  I only run 5 watts CW at all 
times simply because I love QRP and I love CW and it's my "thing."   The 
frequency agility of the doublet/autocoupler combination has been 
wonderful because those of us in restrictive environments usually don't 
have room for more than one, possibly two "good" antennas.  I have a 
very RF friendly attic in terms of no foil insulation, no HVAC, only 
PVC plumbing stacks, etc.  Of course, there is some attenuation but at 
HF I believe (from what I've been able to research)   that this 
attenuation is frequently overstated and often considered to be far 
worse than what it really is.  In my experience, the "worst" penalties 
that follow an attic (or any indoor) installation - RF exposure 
notwithstanding - are skewed radiation pattern and "house noise."
i
By comparison, the Omni Angle when this video was made was at 27' - 3' 
lower than the doublet's flat top section.  That was 15' above the lower 
deck + 12' up on the Jackite.  The Omni Angle was "facing" E-W in the 
sense that the "front" wire portion was pointing in that direction; the 
attic doublet was pointing in the same E-W direction. Of course, we can 
all agree, I'm sure, that this information doesn't help all that much in 
comparing these two antennas because the drooped attic doublet had some 
vertical component and most assuredly some skew in its pattern + as 
another Lister pointed out, on 17M there are lobes on the doublet.

But here's what I think is important to know:  For those of us (and 
we're probably an increasing number in today's world) who can't enjoy 
"antenna freedom" this Omni Angle represents another option and a darn 
good one from my experience of the last 3 weeks.  In my case, it fits 
the footprint of my deck.  I can put it up on my 31' jackite to about 
the 25' + 15' for the upper deck gives me 40' of height, clear of my 
roof line, and away from the attic "house noise."

My attic doublet is my overall favorite antenna and out of the weather 
and is always ready for me.  It's earned me DXCC at the QRP level, QRP 
WAC, and I've worked all states too.  It's gotten me to Japan from NY on 
5 watts more than once.  But this Omni Angle also got me to Tokyo on 5 
watts just last week.  So, based on my experience, the Omni Angle is a 
competitive antenna for a restrictive home QTH, for portable work and, 
in my case, for "stationary mobile" where I drive to a scenic rest stop, 
drop a fiberglass pole into my hombrew mount on my VW Bug, hoist an 
antenna that's significantly better than a Hamstick, and enjoy ham 
radio.

Hope this helps to answer your questions, Vic, as well as those of other 
Listers with antenna restrictions.

73, Stan WB2LQF

 On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 12:33 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

 > How high was the 44' doublet?
>
> How was it oriented compared to the Omni Angle antenna?
>
> Is the doublet in inverted V or horizontal configuration?
>
> I am finding this interesting because I am soon moving to an 
> antenna-restricted location.
>
> On 9/26/2013 6:57 AM, stan levandowski wrote:
>>   About 3 weeks ago, I learned about a new "miracle antenna" -  I 
>> usually dismiss such
>> nonsense because there *is* no miracle antenna.  However, the person 
>> who informed me is a
>> trusted, capable, educated ham and DXpeditioner who is not easily 
>> impressed.
>>
>> I still don't believe in "miracles" but this 2.5 lb, 7 by 4 foot, 
>> easy up/easy down, no
>> tools required, easy-to-tune $99 new product by Dale Parfitt 
>> [designer of the PAR End
>> FedZ series] offers a realistic alternative to those with severe 
>> antenna restrictions,
>> attic installations, SOTA needs, and so on.  It is easily mounted on 
>> a Jackite or similar
>> fiberglass pole. Just put it on and slide it down until it's a good 
>> friction fit.
>>
>> The antenna is resonant for a single band ( choose: 20, 17, 15, 12, 
>> 10 or 6) and
>> additional matchboxes can be purchased for around $25 each.
>>
>> I bought the 17 meter version and in two weeks of non-scientific, 
>> casual A/B testing
>> against my 44' doublet, the Omni Angle has been equal or better on 
>> receive the majority of
>> times and about the same on transmit.  On receive it seems notaby 
>> less noisy than my
>> doublet.  It is horizontally polarized.
>>
>> I don't want to create an antenna controversy here on proper antenna 
>> testing techniques --
>> I seem to have a flair for doing  that -- ;)
>>
>> But I do want to pass along info on this new product which might be 
>> very useful to those
>> of us who have to live with antenna restrictions or who need options 
>> for effective
>> portable operations.
>>
>> Here is a short Youtube video I cobbled together to demonstrate my 17 
>> meter PAR Omni Angle.
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGTq4zVAW_w
>>
>> 73, Stan WB2LQF
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> -- 
> Vic, K2VCO
> Fresno CA
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>